Method for filling loom shuttles with cut-to-length pieces of weft thread and apparatus for the performance of the aforesaid method



April 23, 1968 FEND ET AL 3,379,224

A METHOD FOR FILLING LOOM SHUTTLES WITH CUT-TOLENGTH PIECES OF WEFT THREAD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AFORESAIDMETHOD Filed Dec. 2, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet l Apnl 23, 1968 F D ET AL 3,379,224

METHOD FOR FILLING LOOM SHUTTLES WITH CUT-TO-LENGTH PIECES OF WEFT THREAD- AND APPARATUS FO1\ THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AFORESAID METHOD Filed Dec. 2, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 23, 1968 H. FEND ET AL 3,379,224

TOLENGTH METHOD FOR FILLING LOOM SHUTTLES WITH CUT PIECES OF WEFT THREAD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AFORESAID METHOD l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec.

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Ffff'o rnglys April 23, 1968 H. FEND ET AL 3,379,224

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MAM gidd /M H. FEND ET AL 3,379,224 NG LOOM SHUTTLES WITH CUT-TO-LENGTH AND A PARAT AFORESAID Aprll 23, 1968 METHOD FOR FILLI PIECES OF WEFT THREAD US FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE METHOD 1O Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 2, 1965 Fig. 8

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I I INVENTORS Hem F/C/v Fena BY Herbal 7* F'en A ril 23, 1968 H. FEND ET AL METHOD FOR FILLING LOOM SHUT'ILES WITH CUT-TO-LENGTH PIECES OF WEFT THREAD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AFORESAID METHOD Filed Dec. 2, 1965 ZZZ . 52 51 25 15 55 I Lk r\\ l O Sheets-Sheet 9 Fig. 13

INVENTORS rend W096i, 9- W H f'fOrH S Apnl 23, 1968 H. FEND ET AL 3,379,224

METHOD FOR FILLING LOOM SHUTTLES WITH CUTTO-LENGTH PIECES OF WEFT THREAD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AFORESAID METHOD Filed Dec. 3, 1965 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Fig. 14

INVENTORS Hemrlc/l E d BY /erberf Fahd WMo%,pZ ;4s-/5 M/L flfforngys United States Patent 3,379,224 METHDD FOR FILLING LOOM SHUTTLES WITH CUT-TO-LENGTH PIECES OF WEFT THREAD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AFORESAID METHOD Heinrich Fend, Uster, Zurich, and Herbert Feud, Dubendorf, Zurich, Switzerland, assignors to Oerlikon- Buhrle Holding A.G., Zurich, Siwitzerland Filed Dec. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 520,543 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Dec. 7, 1964, 15,809/64 19 Claims. (Cl. 139-424) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus and method for filling loom shuttles with cut-to-length pieces of weft thread, wherein each shuttle has separate weft thread inlet and discharge openings, particularly the shuttles of wave weaving looms. Means are provided for continuously delivering a thread along a predetermined thread path through a reference point along the thread path and into the inlet opening of a shuttle. The continuously delivered thread passes through the shuttle so that a leading end portion thereof projects out of the discharge opening of the shuttle. Means are provided for seizing and retaining the projecting leading end portion near the discharge opening immediately after said leading end portion has moved out of said discharge opening. The continuously delivered thread is cut to form a cut-to-length weft thread piece as soon as a predetermined length of the continuously delivered thread has additionally moved through said reference point from the moment at which said leading end portion has been seized near said discharge opening, and simultaneously redirecting the continuously delivered thread into the inlet opening of another shuttle while conveying the remainder of said cut-to-length weft thread piece into the first mentioned shuttle.

The present invention has reference to an improved method for filling loom shuttles with finite or cut-tolength pieces of weft thread, particularly the shuttles of wave weaving looms, each of which possesses a special opening for the entry and one for the departure of the weft thread. In accordance with this method, a thread is continually delivered to a shuttle and as soon as a predetermined thread length has passed a reference point of the thread path, it is cut, whereafter the resulting cut-to-length piece of weft thread is completely delivered into the shuttle.

In the commonly assigned, copending United States Patent 3,195,580, granted July 20, 1965, of Heinrich Fend and Hans Hentz, entitled Device for Piling-Up a Weft Thread for Looms, it has been proposed to delay the leading end of the thread which has been blown into the hollow compartment of a shuttle possessing a special opening for the entry and also one for the discharge of the weft thread, by means of a flow obstacle or brake for the blown-in air which is applied at the thread discharge opening of the shuttle. The subsequent portion of the thread is then deposited in the hollow compartment of the shuttle in the form of loops or zig-zag portions which no longer pass through the discharge opening and thus close such, so that upon completion of the blowing operation only the leading end of the cut-to-length weft thread projects beyond the opening through which the thread will be discharged from the shuttle when the latter subsequently travels across the warp within a travelling shed; while its remaining portion is completely located in the hollow shuttle compartment. This pro- 3,379,224 Patented Apr. 23, 1968 jecting leading end of the weft thread can then be seized before the shuttle enters the shed and thus retained.

When operating according to this technique, the length of the leading end of the weft thread projecting from the discharge opening of the shuttle is not exactly determined, so that it can vary from one shuttle to the other. In any case, it is necessary to harmonize the thread discharge opening of the shuttle and the flow obstacle with the diameter and properties of the thread, so that on each change in the type of weft thread, time-consuming adjustments are required, and in certain circumstances it is necessary to have ready a supply of different shuttles for different types of threads.

Now, a primary object of this invention aims to effectively prevent these disadvantages, wherein there is not used a special flow obstacle for the air blown into the shuttle; this makes it more certain that the leading end of the thread blown into each shuttle will issue properly through the discharge opening and the leading portion of the thread thus issued will reach a desired substantially uniform length; thread waste resulting from excessive or unequal length of the weft thread tails at the lateral edge of the fabric is strongly reduced.

A further important object of this invention is directed to the provision of an improved method and apparatus for filling shuttles which enables similarly constructing these shuttles, particularly their hollow compartments and discharge openings for all types of threads and thread diameters coming under consideration.

According to the invention, these and still further objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds are implemented in that, the leading end of the continuously delivered weft thread, immediately after leaving the discharge opening of the shuttle to which such thread is delivered, is fixedly held or retained at such discharge opening, and that cutting of the cut-tolength piece of Weft thread from the aforementioned continually delivered weft thread always takes place, from the moment of fixedly holding the thread beginning, as soon as a predetermined weft thread length has passed a reference point of the thread path.

The invention also concerns itself with an improved apparatus for carrying out the inventive method which incorporates a device for controlling passage of the continuously delivered weft thread through the aforemen tioned reference point and a device synchronously working with the first-mentioned device for cutting the cut-tolength piece of weft thread from the mentioned continuously delivered weft thread. Characteristic of the inventive apparatus is that it is provided with a mechanism for fixedly holding the beginning on the continously delivered weft thread at the discharge opening of the relevant shuttle, and means for controlling the aforesaid holding mechanism which works synchronously with the thread passage control device and the cutting device.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a wave weaving loom equipped with an embodiment of inventive apparatus for the filling of shuttles with thread;

FIGURE 2 schematically illustrates the path of travel of the shuttles in the wave weaving loom depicted in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the inventive apparatus taken along the line III-III of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, considerably enlarged view of the apparatus of FIGURE 3, taken along the line IVIV thereof, and showing a shuttle at the moment that it is engaged by a tooth of the deflecting or turning wheel; FIGURE 4 also shows, with its upper shell partly broken away, the rotating body member mounted on the shuttle-supporting wheel;

FIGURE 5 schematically depicts details of the tooth of the deflecting Wheel and the shuttle engaged thereby as well as the mechanism for fixedly holding the beginning of the thread and provided with means for its control, after the beginning portion of the thread has entered the shuttle;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, yet showing the beginning of the thread after it has left the shuttle;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, yet showing the beginning of the thread fixedly held by the threadholding mechanism;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, however depicting the shuttle at the time it leaves the tooth of the deflecting wheel;

FIGURE 9 is a further embodiment of the inventive apparatus depicting the same components of the apparatus of FIGURES 4 to 8, but with a variant construction of the means for controlling the thread-holding mechanism, with the apparatus depicted in a position corresponding to FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 depicts the apparatus of FIGURE 9 in a position corresponding to that of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 11 shows in plan view, as seen from above, the stationary knife disc of the cutting mechanism which all three described embodiments of the apparatus comprise;

FIGURE 12 is a similar view of the rotating knife disc of the same mechanism;

FIGURE 13 is an axial section of the apparatus with its housing;

FIGURE 14 is a view of a shuttle of the loom as seen from the side which faces the axis of rotation of the apparatus when the shuttle is supported by the latter; and

FIGURE 15 is a lateral view of the angle lever mechanism shown in FIGURE 8.

Describing now the drawings and particularly turning attention to the general arrangement of a wave weaving loom as depicted in FIGURE 1, it will be recognized that such incorporates a warp beam 80 mounted in a frame 57 and from which the warp threads 82 travel over a tension roller 81. Then these warp threads 82 are raised and lowered in groups by means of the movable harnesses 59 such that they form the wave-shaped travelling sheds, in a manner well known in such type loom. In each shed there travels a shuttle 42, driven by t the usual, schematically depicted unit 60, which then inserts a weft thread and at the end of its path of travel such shuttle emerges empty from the warp 82. Due to continuous beating of each inserted weft thread there is formed the fabric F. The latter travels over a breast beam 83, two deflecting rollers 84, a contact or pressure roll 85, onto a cloth beam 86. An appropriate electric motor provided with gear or transmission block 58 synchronously drives, through the agency of an appropriate drive mechanism not shown in greater detail, the harnesses 59, the shuttles 42, a pair of measuring rollers 43 for controlling the weft thread passage, and the contact or pressure roller 8:7.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the shuttles 42 which, as already stated, emerge empty from the warp 82, arrive at one of two deflecting wheels 40, 40', here assumed to be deflecting wheel 40'. At this deflecting wheel 40 each shuttle transcribes an arc of 180, then travels beneath the fabric to the second deflecting wheel 40 where it again transcribes an arc of 180 and once again enters into a shed which has just opened at the Warp 82. Along this entire path of travel the shuttles 42 are maintained in their course by means of non-illustrated guides, Along the linear portion of their path of travel they are driven by special members, whereas along the semicircular path they are tended to by the deflecting wheels 40 and 40'. At the deflecting wheel 40 there is provided an apparatus for the continuous pneumatic filling of the shuttles 42 with cut-to-length or finite weft thread pieces. This filling apparatus partially corresponds to the embodiment depicted in FIGURES 3 to 8 of the copending, commonly assigned United States Patent No. 3,319,663, granted May 16, 1967, and entitled Method for Filling the Shuttles of Weaving Looms With Thread and Apparatus for the Per formance of the Aforesaid Method; however, it is constructed in such manner that only one thread 30 drawn off a supply bobbin or spool 45 is fed to it between the measuring rolls or rollers 43, yet each shuttle 42 passing the deflecting wheel 40 is filled with a cut-to-length weft thread piece corresponding to the fabric Width. Thus, in the entire path of travel of the shuttles there is only a single such shuttle filling apparatus, as such has been schematically depicted in FIGURE 2.

As clearly seen by inspecting FIGURE 3, the deflecting wheel 40 is mounted upon a shaft 41 and rests against its collar 44. The shuttle filling apparatus, to which the thread 30 is continually delivered through the agency of the measuring rolls 43, exhibits a stationary body member 33 and a rotating body member 25 cooperating with the latter. Rotating body member 25 is seated upon the deflecting wheel 40. Three compressed air conduits 20', 26 and 27 are connected to the stationary body member 33 with their extensions in channels 20, 26 and 27 respectively, of such stationary body member 33. All of these compressed air conduits and their channel extensions are operatively connected to a common compressed air supply conduit 38. Channels 20, 26 and 27 open into the fiat underside of the stationary body member 33 at the same distance from the axis about which the rotating body member 25 rotates. The channel 26 is 45 in front of the channel 20, and the channel 27 is behind this channel 29, measured in the direction of rotation of deflecting wheel 40 as indicated by arrow 48 in FIGURE 5 (see also the reference characters appearing in brackets 1n FIGURE 4). A conducting or delivery bore 37a for the thread 30 discharges into the channel 20 by means of the connecting pieces 37 provided for the corresponding compressed air conduit 20'.

At the plane underside of the stationary body member 33 there is seated a staitonary knife disc 21 of a device or mechanism for cutting finite or cut-to-length pieces of weft thread from the continuously delivered thread 30 and for directing the leading end of this thread 30 towards the next still unfilled shuttle 42 which arrives at the deflecting wheel 40. This device is further composed of the knife disc 23, with knife discs 21 and 23 ground to fit one another, the lower one of which, namely knife disc 23 seated upon the rotating body member 25 rotates together with the latter with respect to the upper knife disc 2]..

For reasons of fabrication, the rotating body member 25 is composed of two shells 25a and 25b which contact one another along a surface of revolution (portion of torus surface the axial section of which is a 90-degree arc of circle). At the contact surface of both shells 25a and 25b of the rotating body member 25 there are formed four separated flat channels 28, each of which at its upper end forms an arc-shaped inlet slot which extends over almost one-quarter of the periphery of the rotating body member 25 and towards its lower, external end narrows to a circular opening at which there is connected a radially, outwardly directed nozzle member 39.

The stationary knife disc 21 of the cutting mechanism which is, for instance, formed of steel and seated at the stationary body member 33 possesses three holes 34, 35, 36, the arrangement is represented in FIGURE 11. It corresponds to that of the mouth or outlet of the compressed air channels 20, 26, 27 at the underface of the stationary body member 33. In FIGURE 4, the contours of the 110165 34, 6 and of the mouths of the air channels 20, 26, 27, which are congruent therewith, are indicated in dash-and-dot lines. FIGURE 11 shows the upper, stationary knife 21 with the said three holes 34, 35 and 36. At its rear end, considered with regard to the direction of rotation of the deflecting wheel 40, the hole or aperture 34 is bounded by a sharp cutting edge 22 at the level of its lower face at which it is in contact with the rotating knife disc 23.

The rotating knife disc 23 seated on the rotating body member 25 and shown from above in FIGURE 12 exhibits four arcuate-shaped slots 24 which correspond with the inlet slots of the distributing channels 28. These arcuate-shaped slots 24 are on the same diameter as, and cooperate with the holes 34, 35, 36 of the stationary knife disc 21 and are each bounded at their respectiverear end by a sharp cutting edge 24a situated at the level of the discs upper face at which it is in contact with the stationary knife disc 21. Such cutting edges 24a cooperate with the aforementioned sharp cutting edge 22 of the hole 34 appearing at the stationary knife disc 21.

The deflecting wheel 40 possesses four teeth 46, each serving for the receipt of a respective shuttle 42. All of these shuttles 42 are similar. Each exhibits a hollow compartment 7 for receiving, in each case, a piece of thread which has been cut-to-length in accordance with the weaving width. The shuttle has an approrimately rectangular inlet opening 7a connected to one end of the compartment 7 and an approximately rectangular outlet opening 7b which is separate from the inlet opening 7a and is connected to the opposite end or" the compartment 7, as indicated in dotted lines in FIGS. 4 to 7. Well below the inlet and outlet openings 7a, 711, each shuttle 42 possesses at its underface a notch or recess 49 configured such that each tooth 46 of the deflecting wheel can engage therein practically without play, similar to a tooth of a gear engaging with the tooth-gap of a gear rack. These teeth 46 can thus fix the position of each shuttle 42 at the deflecting wheel 49 during such time as it transcribes an arc with the shuttle of 180.

The inlet opening 7a of the hollow compartment 7 of each shuttle 42 is arranged in such a position with respect to the shuttle that when the shuttle is seated on one of the teeth 46 with the latter engaging the shuttles recess 49, one of the four nozzles 39 associated with the respective tooth 46 is directed towards that inlet opening 7a. The compartment 7 is constructed such that its contour then practically forms a conical, uniform widening of the inner contour of the associated filling or discharge nozzle 39.

In this position of the shuttle 42 there cooperates with the discharge opening 7b thereof a holding or clamping mechanism for the leading end portion of the thread. Such is partially mounted on the shuttle 42 and partially on the deflecting wheel 40, and will be considered in greater detail hereinafter.

A flap 16 is pivotably mounted on a pin 18 inside the shuttle so as to extend into the passage connecting the compartment 7 to the discharge opening 7b over the full width thereof and beyond that opening. A spring 17 is also mounted within the shuttle so as to resiliently urge the flap 16 against the edge 9 bounding the discharge opening 7b on the side opposite that on which the flap 16 is pivoted. Thereby, the spring 17 causes the flap 16 to clamp the leading end portion of the thread 30 against the edge 9 as long as it is not held open by the portion of the mechanism mounted on the deflecting wheel 40 (FIGURES 5 to 7). It will be understood that the thread discharge opening 7b is only temporarily opened when the shuttle is seated on the deflecting wheel.

On each of the four teeth 46 of the wheel 40, a tubular member 11 is rigidly mounted so as to be engageable with the flap 16 for controlling the latters angular position in the shuttle 42. The member 11 forms a duct 110 which is in such a position on the wheel 40 that the shuttle discharge opening 7b comes into alignment with its entrance 11b when a shuttle 42 is seated on the corresponding tooth 46. A leaf spring 10 the free end portion 8 of which is bent off at a right angle is riveted to an extension of the member 11 in such manner that it tends to place the said end portion 8 in front of the entrance 11b of the duct 11, and, if a shuttle is seated on the tooth 42, between the discharge opening 712 of the shuttle and the duct-entrance 1112 (FIGURE 7). However, the leaf spring 10 can be deflected from this position as indicated by the doubleheaded arrow 47 (FIGURE 4). The leaf spring 10 can be bent rearwardly by means of an angle lever 51 which, for purposes of simplifying the drawings, has only been shown in FIGURE 8, and can be retained in its deflected state by means of its opening ltlrz at a pawl 13 (FIGURES 4, 5 and 6). Pawl 13 is mounted at the deflecting wheel 40 for pivotal movement about a pin 19 and is normally pressed against an impact or stop pin 12 by means of a tension spring 14.

The holding mechanism is controlled by a stationary impact cam 15 which does not revolve with the deflecting wheel 40 but as shown in FIG. 13 is supported by a cover 15a screwed on a housing 40a (not shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2) which is mounted on the frame 57 and partly surrounds the wheel 40 so as not to interfere with the shuttles 42 engaging and leaving the teeth 46 of the wheel 40 tangentially as shown in FIGURES 4 and 8, respectively. The position of the cam 15- with respect to the rotation of the wheel 40 is adjustable while in the radial direction with respect to the axis of such rotation, the cam 15 is in the path of the end of the spring-loaded arm of the pawl 13 mounted on the wheel 40. Accordingly, when the corresponding tooth 46 of the Wheel moves past the cam 15, the pawl 13 is temporarily or momentarily rocked against the action of the tension spring 14 and permits the leaf spring 10 retained by the pawl to return to its rest position.

By referring to FIGURE 8 is will be seen that the angle lever 51 is pivotably mounted upon a pin 52 likewise fixedly secured at the deflecting wheel 40. As can be seen from FIGURE 15, the outwardly directed arm 51a of angle lever 51 passes above the tubular member 11 and carries a pin 53- extending towards the wheel 40 between the member 11 and the leaf spring 10; thus as long as that spring is not deflected, it maintains the angle lever 51 in a predetermined rest position.

The other arm 5'4 of angle lever 51, directed forwardly in the direction of rotation 48 of the deflecting wheel 40, is bent outwardly at its free end and cooperates with a second stationary cam which like the cam 15 is mounted on the cover 15a of the wheel housing 40; however, the cam 55 is mounted at a higher level at which it is encountered only by the lever arm 51a but not by the pawl 13 as they rotate past it. The angle lever 51, when the arm 54 moves past this cam 55, is rotated in counterclockwise direction against the force of the leaf spring 10 and presses the latter by means of the pin 53 into engagement with the pawl 13.

Control of the delivery of the thread 30 and thus, its passage through the filling apparatus, takes place at the nip of the measuring rolls 43, which in the thread path form the last point at which the length of the thread supplied is under positive control since later on, the thread is advanced by means of compressed air which is supplied by the conduit or line 38, and carries the thread on towards the shuttle 42 to be filled. It will be noted that wherever the thread is engaged by the stream of compressed air, it is urged along with the latter as fast as the measuring rolls 43- will allow, and therefore keeps a comparatively stretched configuration.

The compressed air flows through the channels 20*, 26, 27 of the stationary body member 33, the holes or apertures 34, 35, 36 in the stationary knife disc, the slots 24 of the revolving knife disc 23 which momentarily communicate with such apertures, the corresponding channel 28 and filling nozzle 39, towards the hollow compartment 7 of that shuttle 42, into the inlet opening 7a of which, there discharges the relevant nozzle 39. The air from each hollow shuttle compartment 7 primarily escapes through its discharge opening 7b when such is open, and when it is closed through a large number of fine or small openings 7d (FIGURES 4, 13 and 14) in the walls of the shuttle hollow compartment.

The thread 30 moves in the channel 20 into the compressed air stream and together with such, due to the cooperation o fthe four slots 24 of the rotating knife disc 23 with the three holes 34, 35 and 36 of the stationary knife disc 21, is always directed towards one of the four channels 28, the corresponding nozzle 39 and the hollow compartment 7 of the shuttle 42 which is seated on the wheel 40 in front of this nozzle.

When one of the arcuate-shaped slots 24 of the rotating knife 23, designated in FIGURE 4 by reference character 24, is located partially in front of the hole 34 of the stationary knife disc 21, the thread 30 moves with the compressed air stream through this hole 34, this one slot 24' and the corresponding channel, designated by reference character 28, towards the hollow compartment 7 of the corresponding shuttle 42. When, during the rotation of the deflecting wheel 40 and the rotatable body member 25, the cutting edge 24a of this slot 24 approaches the cutting edge 22 of the hole 34, then by means of the next rearward slot 24 there is formed a communication between the compressed air channel 20, the hole 34 and the channel 28 communicating with this next rearward slot.

As soon as the cutting edge 24a of the first-mentioned slot 24 reaches the cutting edge 22 of the hole 34, there is interrupted the communication between the compressed air channel 20 and the channel 28 through which passes the thread and, at the same time, the thread 30 located between both these cutting edges 22, 24a is cut. This moment is depicted in FIGURE 4, and thus need not correspond with that in which a new shuttle 42 moves onto a tooth 46 of the deflecting wheel 40, which in this figure assumes the depicted position with respect to the mentioned tooth. The air coming from the channel 20 then only still flows through the communication, newly provided via the next rearward slot 24, to the subsequent channel 28 The new leading portion of the thread 30 resulting fom the previously described cutting operation and delivered further by the measuring rolls 43 through the channel 20 is conveyed by the air current to the lastmentioned channel 28 and through such to the corresponding nozzle 39.

At the momment in which the leading thread portion has reached the outlet or mouth of the filling nozzle 39, the inlet opening 7a of the hollow compartment 7 of the new shuttle 42, which in FIGURE 4 is in the process of moving onto the tooth 46 of the deflecting wheel 40, arrives in front of this nozzle 39 and the leading thread portion moves through this opening 7a into the hollow shuttle compartment 7 (FIGURE 5 Thereafter, it passes through such hollow shuttle compartment 7 and leaves the same via the discharge opening 7b.

The terminal portion of the thread piece now cut from the continuously delivered thread 30 and still located in the first channel 28 of the rotating body member 25, is now no longer further conveyed by the air current coming from the compressed air channel 20. However, due to the rotation of the rotating knife disc 23 there is now provided a new communication from the compressed air supply conduit 38 through the channel 27 in the stationary body member 33, the hole 36 in the knife disc 21 and the first-mentioned slot 24 of the rotating knife disc 23, to the first-mentioned channel 28 in the rotating body member 25 and the associated nozzle member 39. Due to this communication, a second air current conveys the cut thread piece completely into the nonillustrated shuttle into which it has begun to move.

A further additional air current has already previously reached the channel 28 via the channel 26, the hole 35 of the stationary body member 33 and the second slot 24 of the rotating knife disc, and into which the new leading portion of the thread 30 has now been conveyed. Due to this additional air current which is independent of how much of the cross-section of the hole 34 is left in open communication with the slot 24, there is maintained in the channel 28 an air velocity which increases in the direction of the filling or discharge nozzle 39 and which conveys the leading portion of the thread 3:), maintains it stretched and threads it into this nozzle.

During such time as the tooth 46 moves into the recess 49 of the shuttle 42 (FIGURE 4), the tubular member 11. constructed as guide tube arrives at the fiap 16 of this shuttle, which up to then has been held in its closed position by the pressure spring 17, and bears against the portion 16a of this flap 16 projecting out of said shuttle and turns such fiap against the force of this pressure spring 17 into its open position in which it frees the discharge opening 7b(FIGURE 5). In this position, the wall of the channel 11a of the guide tube 11 forms the extension of the passage connecting the wall of the hollow shuttle compartment 7 to the discharge opening 71), so that the leading end of the thread 30 which has now arrived at the discharge opening 71) smoothly moves into this tubular member 11 (FIGURE 6).

While the leading end of the thread 30 is thus discharged from the shuttle 42 into the duct 11a through the opening 71;, the leaf spring 16 is restrained by the pawl 13 so that its portion 8 cannot extend into the intermediate space between the shuttle 42 and the tubular member 11, and thus does not impair the passage of the air current through the discharge opening 7b and the tubular member 11 and entry of the leading end portion of the thread 30 into such.

tained near the fell of the fabric by a mechanism not shown but which may be like that disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,237,649 to Heinrich Fend, granted Mar. 1, 1966.

With further rotation of the deflecting wheel 40, the pawl 13 is then rocked in clockwise direction, against the force of the tension spring 1 4, about the pivot pin 19 and releases the leaf spring 10. This then springs back into its rest position. Before is contacts the pin 53, only shown in FIGURE 8, the free end So of its bent portion 8 bears against the flap 16 (FIGURE 7) which, as described, is held in its open position by the tubular member 11 acting as a control element for it. In so doing, the cat spring 10 clamps the leading end portion of the thread 30 between its bent portion 8 and the flap 16 exactly at the moment in which the leading end portion of the thread 30 projects past the shuttle discharge opening 71) an amount corresponding to the mentioned required length.

The time lapse from the moment of impact of the pawl 13 at the impact cam 15 until clamping or holding fast the starting portion of the thread 30 by the spring 10 is very small and practically constant, so that the leading end portion of this thread is practically always fixedly retained at the same rotational position of the deflecting wheel 40. At the moment at which its leading end portion is seized by the leaf spring 10, the thread 30 is still coherent and comparatively stretched along the entire path from the measuring rolls 43 past the cutting device 21, 23, the channel 28, the nozzle 39 and the hollow shuttle compartment 7, up to the clamping location at this discharge opening 71). Hence, it possesses, onthe one hand, from its leading end up to the plane of cutting of the knife discs 21, 23 and, on the other hand, up to the measuring rolls 43,

9 in each case, a predetermined, practically constant length.

At the same time that the leading end of the thread 30 is fixedly clamped, the spring portion 8 closes the dis charge opening 7b of the shuttle 42 so that the air current through this opening is interrupted, and the air flowing into the hollow shuttle compartment 7 can now only still escape through the fine holes 7d in the wall of such shuttle. The thread 30 which is further conveyed into the hollow shuttle compartment '7 now deposits itself therein in the form of zig-zag coils or loops, as best shown in FIGURE 7.

Since the passage of the thread 3%) between the measuring rolls 43 is controlled by their synchronous rotation with the rotation of the deflecting wheel 40, as has been previously described, during each rotational position of the aforementioned deflecting wheel 40 there is exactly fixed the length of the thread 30 which has moved between these rolls 43 from the time of fixedly clamping the leading end portion of the thread by the spring 10.

The thread speed in the cutting plane of the knife discs 21, 23 is practically always the same as that between the rolls 43, since the thread moves in stretched condition through the cutting apparatus and its length from the measuring rolls 43 to the cutting plane is small. Thus, there is also fixed the length of the thread which has moved through the aforementioned cutting plane from the time of fixedly clamping the leading end portion of the thread, and thus, the momentary length of the thread from its leading end up to the cutting plane.

The ratio of the peripheral velocity of the measuring rolls 43 at the location at which the thread 30 passes between them to the angular velocity of the deflecting wheel 40 is advantageously adjustable, for instance by means of a transmission with infinitely variable drive or speed control, or by making the rolls 43 slightly conical and providing means for displacing a yarn guide member in axial direction thereof.

This speed ratio is thus adjusted such that at the moment at which the cutting edge 24:: of the considered slot 24 of the revolving knife disc 23 passes beneath the cutting edge 22 of the hole 34 of the stationary knife disc 21 and the yarn 30 is cut, the mentioned length of the thread from its leading end up to the cutting plane of the knife discs 21 and 23 is exactly the same length which the cut-to-length weft thread piece should have and which is to be introduced into the relevant shuttle 42.

Such is the case if the sum of the determined thread length which has passed between the measured rolls 43 from the moment at which the leading end portion of the thread has been clamped and the length which the thread exhibits at that moment between its leading end and the cutting plane of the knife discs 21, 23 is equal to the required length of the cut-to-length weft thread piece.

After the weft thread piece passing through the slot 24 and the channel 28 has in turn been cut from the further continuously delivered thread 30 the new lead ing end portion of the latter is conveyed from the hole 34 of the stationary knife disc 21 through a third, slot 24 of the rotating knife disc 23 into the corresponding channel 28 of the rotating body member 25. The trailing or rear terminal portion of the severed or cut-tolength weft thread piece, arrives with the aid of the air flowing through the channel 27 and the hole 36 completely into the hollow compartment 7 of the relevant shuttle 42.

During further rotation of the deflecting wheel 40 this shuttle 42 arrives at the location at which it, after completing a rotation through 180, is tangentially removed from this aforementioned deflecting wheel and is entrained by non-illustrated drive means which further move such shuttle in a wandering or travelling shed between the warp threads 82 and across the fabric width. As shown is FIGURE 8, the flap 16 under the pressure of its spring 17 bears against the inner edge 9 of the shuttle discharge opening 7b and fixedly retains the leading end portion of the cut-to-length thread piece which projects out of such opening with the desired length after this flap has stopped cooperating for this purpose with the leaf spring 10. This projecting leading end portion of the cut-to-length weft thread piece is then fixedly held at a point near the fell of the fabric by the aforementioned mechanism until the weft thread near it has been beaten and by crossover of the warp threads has been tied into the fabric. Along the further path of the shuttle 42 the flap 16 acts together with the discharge opening edge 9 as thread break.

With further rotation of the deflecting wheel 40 the curved end of the arm 54 of the angle lever 51 comes to bear against the stationary cam 55. As a result, this angle lever 51 is rocked about its pin 52 in counterclockwise direction, and presses by means of the pin 53 the leaf spring 10 again into engagement with the pawl 13. Hence, the apparatus is again in a state of preparedness for again carrying out the aforedescribed operating cycle.

The variant embodiment depicted in FIGURES 9 and 10 of the control apparatus for the leaf spring 10 differs from the illustrated embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 8 only insofar as there is here provided a different mode of retaining and releasing the leaf spring 16 in and from, respectively, its deflected state.

The leaf spring 10 with its bent portion 8, in the deflected condition, here forms the armature of a permanent magnet 1 which is surrounded by a coil 2. The ends of the coil 2 are connected by both conductors 3 and 3' with brushes 4 and 4 respectively, fixedly mounted on the deflecting wheel 40. The conductor 3' is interrupted or opened by means of a suitable switch 27. The brushes 4 and 4' are continually in contact with stationary collecting or slip rings 5 and 5 respectively, which, in other words, do not rotate with the revolving deflecting wheel 40. These collecting rings '5 and 5', in turn, are connected with a suitable current supply source by means of the conductors 6 and 6' respectively. The depicted stationary impact cam 15 has the same function as the similarly designated cam of FIGURES 4 to 8. It is adjustable in the peripheral direction about the axis of rotation of the deflecting wheel 40 and arranged such that with a certain predetermined rotational position of such wheel it closes the switch 27.

The remaining construction of this control apparatus and the structure of the shuttles 42 as well as their arrangement upon the deflecting wheel 40 is similar to what has already been described and shown with regard to the embodiment of FIGURES 5 to 8, for which reason like reference characters have again been employed for the same or analogous elements.

Also the mode of operation of the variant embodiment depicted in FIGURES 9 and 10 is basically the same as the previously described embodiment of FIGURES 4 to 8, only here the spring 10 in deflected condition, instead of being held by a pawl 13 is held by the permanent magnet 1, the force of attraction of which is interrupted for a short period of time by a current surge sent through the winding or coil 2 surrounding such. Thus, release of the blade or leaf spring 10 takes place analogous to the release of the pawl in the previously described embodiment in that the coil 2 at the correct moment of time is supplied with electrical current via the brushes 4 and 4 as well as the conductors 3 and 3'. Since the entire apparatus is located upon the rotating deflecting wheel 40, this occurs from externally via the stationary collecting rings 5 and 5' as well as the conductors 6 and 6'. The coil 2 only then receives a current surge if, during rotation of the deflecting wheel 40, the switch 27 at a predetermined position of such deflecting wheel is shortly closed by the stationary cam 15. Due to the tangential adjustability of this cam 15, it is possible, analogous to the adjustment of the impact cam 15 of FIGURE 6, to regulate the period of time at which the blade spring 10 1 1 is released and, thus, the length of the thread piece protruding out of the relevant shuttle 42.

Retention of the blade or leaf spring 10 at the permanent magnet 1 is produced by mechanically pressing this spring against such magnet by means of the angle lever 51 cooperating with a stationary cam 55, which elements have been shown in FIGURE 8, but for the purpose of simplifying the drawing have been omitted in FIGURES 9 and 10 as well as has been mentioned also in FIG- URES 4 to 7.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practised within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Method for filling loom shuttles with cut-to-length pieces of weft thread, wherein each shuttle is of the type having separate weft thread inlet and discharge openings, particularly the shuttles of wave weaving looms, comprising the steps of: continuously delivering a thread along a predetermined thread path through a reference point along said thread path and into the inlet opening of a shuttle, conveying the continuously delivered thread through said shuttle such that a leading end portion thereof projects out of the discharge opening of said shuttle, seizing and retaining such projecting leading end portion near said discharge opening immediately after said leading end portion has moved out of said discharge opening, cutting the continuously delivered thread to form a cut-to-length weft thread piece as soon as a predetermined length of said continuously delivered thread has additionally moved through said reference point from the moment at which said leading end portion has been seized near said discharge opening, and simultaneously redirecting the continuously delivered thread into the inlet opening of another shuttle while conveying the remainder of said cut-to-length weft thread piece into said first mentioned shuttle.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising controlling in synchronism with each other the said steps of seizing and retaining the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread, delivering said continuously delivered thread through said reference point and cutting the continuously delivered thread to form a cut-to-length weft thread piece.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 including the steps of covering the discharge opening of said shuttle simultaneously with the step of seizing and retaining the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the step of clamping the projecting leading end portion of the continuously delivered thread to seize and retain the latter.

5. An apparatus comprising the combination with at least one loom shuttle of the type having separate weft thread inlet and discharge openings, particularly a shuttle for a wave weaving loom, for filling said shuttle with a weft thread piece cut-to length from a thread which is continuously delivered along a predetermined path of travel and through a reference point to the shuttle, said apparatus comprising means for continuously delivering thread through said reference point at a controlled rate, means for guiding the continuously delivered thread into said shuttle, means for seizing and retaining the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread adjacent the discharge opening of the shuttle, means operating in synchronism with said thread delivering means for cutting a cut-to-length weft thread piece from said continuously delivered thread, and means operating in synchronism with said thread delivering means and said thread cutting means for controlling operation of said seizing means for the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said seizing and retaining means for the leading end portion of the continuously delivered thread comprises an impact element arranged at the shuttle, a movably mounted clamping element cooperating with said impact element for seizing and retaining the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread adjacent said shuttle discharge opening.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said seizing and retaining means comprises a spring member acting upon said movably mounted clamping element tending to displace the latter into a position in which it cooperates with said impact element for seizing the leading end portion of the continuously delivered thread at said shuttle discharge opening.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said spring member is a leaf spring having a bent end portion defining said movably mounted clamping element.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said means controlling the operation of said seizing and retaining means for the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread comprises a pawl member for locking said movably mounted clamping element in an inoperative position where it does not cooperate with said impact element and an operable element displacea'ble relative to said pawl member for releasing said pawl member from said inoperative position.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means controlling operation of said seizing and retaining means for the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread comprises electromagnetic means for locking said movably mounted clamping element in inoperative position out of cooperable relation with said impact element, said electromagnetic means incorporating a control current circuit including a switch member, an operable element displacea'ble relative to said switch member for actuating the latter to control operation of said electromagnetic means.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said shuttle is provided with an impact surface at the region of its discharge opening, said impact element being movable from an impact position where it cooperates with said movably mounted clamping element into a clamping position cooperating with said impact surface of said shuttle for clamping the cut-to-length weft thread piece at the region of its leading end portion, a spring member normally urging said impact element into said clamping position, and a control element for normally urging said impact element into said impact position against the force of said spring member where it is in a position to cooperate with said movably mounted clamping element.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said impact element arranged at the shuttle is a closure flap which in said clamping position obturates the discharge opening of said shuttle.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said thread guiding means incorporates a rotatable deflecting wheel for supporting the shuttle during filling thereof with a cut-to-length weft thread piece revolving in synchronism with said thread delivering means, said control element being carried by said rotatable deflecting wheel.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said control element is provided with an open-ended channel having an inlet side in front of which there is situated the dis-charge opening of said shuttle when said impact element is urged by said control element into said impact position and said clamping element is disposed in said clamping position, the leading end portion of the continuously delivered weft thread upon leaving the discharge opening of the shuttle moving into said openended channel and the continuously delivered weft thread being engaged by said clamping element at a location between said discharge opening and said inlet side of said open-ended channel.

'15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said 13 conveying means comprises a rotatable deflecting Wheel for supporting the shuttle during filling thereof with the cut-to-length weft thread piece revolving in synchronism with said thread delivering means, said movably mounted clamping element of said seizing and retaining means being mounted at said rotatable deflecting wheel.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said movably mounted clamping element is a closure element which covers the discharge opening of the shuttle when it moves into its clamping position where it cooperates with the impact element of said shuttle.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said thread guiding means comprises a rotatable deflecting Wheel for supporting the shuttle during filling thereof with a cutto-length weft thread piece, revolving in synchronism with said thread delivering means, said means for controlling operation of said seizing and retaining means embodying a positionally adjustable stationary release element, and a member mounted at said rotatable deflecting wheel actuated by said release element.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein said release element is mounted adjustably in the circumferential direction of said rotatable deflecting wheel.

19. An apparatus comprising the combination with at least one loom shuttle of the type having separate weft thread inlet and discharge openings, particularly a shuttle for a Wave weaving loom, for filling said sh-uttle with a weft thread piece cut-to-length from a thread which is continuously delivered along a predetermined path of travel and through a reference point to the shuttle, said apparatus comprising means for continuously delivering thread through said reference point at a controlled rate, means for seizing and retaining the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread adjacent the discharge opening of the shuttle, means operating in synchronism with said thread delivering means for cutting a cut-to-length weft thread piece from said continuously delivered thread, and means operating in synchronism with said thread delivering means and said thread cutting means for controlling operation of said seizing and retaining means for the leading end portion of said continuously delivered thread.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,902,058 9/1959 Walton 139-224 3,195,580 7/1965 Fend et al. 139-424 3,237,654 3/1966 Hentz et al. 139224 HEN-RY S. JAUDON, Primary Examiner. 

